


Christmas Wishes

by WhySoSeven



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Brotherly Love, Christmas Fluff, Gen, In The Most Innocent Way, Minor Violence, Papyrus Is An Innocent Cinnamonbun, Sans Has A Nightmare, Sans Is Not, bone bros, undertale - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2017-07-06
Packaged: 2018-05-07 10:51:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5453987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhySoSeven/pseuds/WhySoSeven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sans has been having nightmares and Papyrus knows just the thing to fix it.  Except he doesn't.  Everything goes to hell.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> This is based off a prompt given to me by http://petchricor.tumblr.com/  
> The prompt was "Stuffed dog"
> 
> Keep in mind this is my first prompt work and my first fanfiction in two years, it won't be as pretty as I'd like.

_The cape was covered in dust._

 Sans couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from the scene before him. He was too late. How long ago had this happened? An hour? Two? Long enough for everything but his brother's iconic scarlet cape to be buried in the path's constant snowfall. He had had a bad feeling about the human that came through the door ever since they had arrived but he never would have imagined this, not even in his worst nightmares.

 He slowly knelt down, hesitating a long moment before brushing a bony finger against the cape. There was no mistaking the light gray dust that clung to its surface. He felt his eyes well up with tears and a dim blue clouded his vision.

 “No...” the word came out barely a whisper. He pulled the cape from the snow, clutching it to his chest. “No, no no no no no _please_ no... not him, anyone else but please not Papyrus, not my brother...”

  ***You feel your sins crawling down your back.**

 Sans barely had time to spin around before he felt the blade slash across his chest. All breath seemed to leave him as he stumbled back, falling into the snow. Frisk sauntered up, a sadistic grin spreading across their face and their irises glowing a dull red.

 “How many times is this now?” Their voice had multiple tones, as if there were two people speaking at once. They took another step forward, their grin broadening unnaturally wide. “How many times have I killed you?” Another step, their cheeks splitting to add to their hideous grin. “How many times have I killed that sorry excuse of a sentry you call a brother?” Another step, the snow crunching under their boots. Globs of skin melted off their face, revealing nothing but a chilling, dark emptiness underneath. Sans tried to scurry back, to look away, to do _anything_ but it was as if he were paralyzed, every part of his frozen in place. He could only watch in terror as Frisk charged towards him, blade held high over his head.

 “How many times do I have to kill you until you _stay out of my way_?!”

 

**-xxx-**

 

Papyrus rarely slept. He didn't know why, he just never really felt tired. Instead, when the designated “night time” came, he would lie in his super cool race car bed and let his thoughts wander. If he got bored he could always get up and play with his action figures or read one of the many books that sat in his bookcase. Tonight, however, was different. Tonight was only two nights away from Christmas and if he wanted more action figures this year he needed to get his letter to Santa as soon as possible. Because of this he, the great Papyrus, was using this time to write his letter. He would have to remember to give it to Sans tomorrow morning so he could have it delivered. Even if the smaller skeleton was too lazy to get off his bony butt to do much else, he always made sure Papyrus' letters got to Santa.

 After finishing the letter he read it over one last time before signing his name at the bottom. “Nyehehe! There, now to--”

 Papyrus went rigid as a piercing scream rang through the house, tearing him from his thoughts. He instantly recognized the scream as Sans' and jolted from his seat, wasting no time getting to his brother's room and pounding on the door.

 “Sans! Sans are you alright?” He called, noting the dim blue glow radiating from under the door rather than the usual flame-like light. Sans putting forth enough effort to use his magic was never a good sign. After a long moment of silence he tried again.

 “Sans, I heard you scream,” Papyrus said, worry ending his voice. “Please let me in.”

Papyrus waited outside the door, anxiously tapping his foot. Just when he has waited long enough that he was entertaining the thought of breaking down the door the lock clicked and the door opened a crack, Sans peeking through from the other side.

 “Oh, hey bro,” he greeted with a small smile. “Whatcha need?”

 “I heard you scream,” Papyrus stated, crossing his arms.

 “Scream?” Sans seemed to ponder this a moment before shrugging. “Nope, wasn't me.”

 “If it wasn't you then who was it?” Papyrus demanded.

 “Did you check our pet rock?”

 “Sans, be serious!”

 “But how can I be serious if I'm Sans?” Sans asked with a wink.

 “You're impossible!” Papyrus cried.

 “No, I'm Sans, remember?”

 “STOP!”

 Sans just chuckled, stepping back away from his door. “Relax, Pap, everything's fine. I'll talk to you in the morning, okay?”

 “Well, alright...” Papyrus wasn't exactly convinced, but he wasn't going to get anywhere if Sans insisted on making terrible jokes the entire conversation.

 “Great, g'night, bro.” Without waiting for a reply Sans closed the door, leaving Papyrus alone in the hallway. Having little options left, Papyrus hesitated a moment before going back to his room.

 What was he going to do? He knew Sans hid things from him, he had always known, but they had never hurt him like this. Avoiding the subject or not, screaming in the middle of the night was _not_ healthy. But how could he get through and help without Sans trying to throw him off'? He sat at his desk chair and tapped his finger against his jaw, brow furrows. There had to be some way to--

 And just like that it hit him.

 “Nyeheheheh, brilliant! The great Papyrus strikes again!”

 Without another word the tall skeleton picked up his pencil and began to write.

 

**-xxx-**

 

Sans breathed out a sigh of relief. He hadn't been sure how well he'd be able to hold it together through his brother's interrogation but he did. Now Papyrus was gone and the crisis was averted. Though he has been having the dreams for a while, the screaming was new. He would have to find a way to fix that so Papyrus wouldn't worry.

For now, however, he needed to sleep. He slowly made his way over to his bed, careful to only step on the designated clear patches on the floor. With a tired sigh he let himself fall face first on his bed, curling up in the mess of blankets. No doubt Papyrus would bring this up again in the morning, he just hoped he'd have the energy to avoid it.

 

 


	2. Gotta Get That Letter In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like I might actually finish this one. Special thanks to Petchricor for beta reading.

  Sans wasn't going to be allowed to sleep in as long as he would have liked.

He was woken up by Papyrus' shouting, accompanied by heavy pounding on his door. “Sans! Sans wake up!”

Sans groaned in protest and pulled a pillow over his face. “S'too early, lemme sleep.”

“It's _noon_ , Sans,” Papyrus said. “I need you to deliver my letter to Santa before it's too late!”

Right, the letter. Sans had almost forgotten what time of year it was.

“Alright, alright I'm coming,” he sighed. He pushed himself up with a soft grunt before swinging his legs over the side of the bed and stretching.

“Hurry, Sans! I don't want to miss our chance!”

Sans chuckled. His brother's enthusiasm was downright infectious, but that didn't mean he couldn't have a bit of fun with it. “You keep yelling at me a _bone_ it and I'll start making puns.”

There was immediate silence on the other side of the door. Sans couldn't help but smile. That old trick worked every time. He got out of bed and made his way over to the door at his leisure. Mornings were so much easier to take when he wasn't rushed. He pulled the door open, jumping back a bit in surprise when Papyrus thrust a letter in his face.

“My letter is finished and ready to be delivered!” Papyrus shouted. Sans had long since given up teaching him the concept of an “inside voice”.

“I'm getting it, calm down,” Sans chuckled. He took the letter from Papyrus' hands, looking the envelope over. “Heh, already got the address on there and everything.”

“Of course I did!” Papyrus said. “Also, I think that this year I should get to see how you send it! That way I can start sending mine on my own!”

“Sorry bro, no dice,” Sans said, slipping the letter into his pocket. “Doesn't count if you send it yourself, it's gotta be sent by someone else.”

Papyrus paused for a moment as if thinking. His expression turned quizzical and he tilted his head to the side. “If you can't send it yourself then how do you get _your_ letters to Santa?”

“Magic,” Sans said with a wink.

“Fine then, don't tell me.” Was Sans imagining things or was that a hint of worry crossing over his brother's features?

“No, really, it's magic,” Sans said. “I'll show you when you need to know, alright?”

There was a pause before Papyrus responded. “Alright,” he sighed.

Sans leaned against his door frame, glancing up at the clock. He raised a brow when he noticed the time. “Hey, don't you have a training session with Undyne today?”

Papyrus gasped, grabbing his skull. “Oh no, I'm late!” Sans chuckled as he watched his brother race down the steps, taking them two at a time. “I'M COMING, UNDYNE!”

“Man my bro is cool,” he said to himself with a small smile. Though, as cool as he was, he never had been very perceptive. This had turned out in Sans' favor. The chances that the younger skeleton would notice anything were slim to none. Not only did this help with hiding his nightmares but it also made things like playing Santa so much easier.

Speaking of playing Santa, he had a letter to read. He pulled the letter from his pocket with a small smile. Knowing Papyrus he had probably asked for more action figures. He carefully opened the envelope before taking the letter out an unfolding it. “Now, let's see...”

_Dear Santa,_

_How are things at the North Pole this year? Busy as always? Nyeheheheh I bet it is! I will get right to the point. After all, you have a lot of letters to go through! I have been my very best this year! I would very much like the action figure set they have at the MTT-Resort if it's not too much trouble for the elves. I hope you have a lovely holiday!_

_Sincerely,_

_Papyrus_

_P.S. I don't think my brother Sans has been very happy lately. Even his smiles look sad and he had a bad nightmare. He may be a lazy bag of bones but he is usually really good. Please bring someone to help him. Thank you._

Sans' smile faltered. So he _had_ noticed.

“Heh, guess that's what I get for underestimating a cool guy like Papyrus,” he said to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. He folded the letter back up and slid it back into the envelope before retreating into his room and hiding it under his bed. With the mess his room was in, even if Papyrus managed to get in he would never find the stash of Santa letters he had accumulated over the years. Not that Papyrus would ever try to get in. He respected Sans' privacy. He was cool like that.

Now for granting Papyrus' Christmas wishes. The action figures would be easy enough. The river man, or woman, could take him right to Hotland. He had saved up more than enough to get the set Papyrus wanted. The post script, however... that would be harder. The resets, the dreams, the _memories_ , they had all taken more of a toll on him than he would ever admit. These days none of his smiles were sincere. Convincing Papyrus he wasn't dying inside was gonna be one hell of a task.

Them again, the thought of making Papyrus happy filled him with **DETERMINATION**.

 

**-xxx-**

 

“Stir those noodles, Papyrus!” Undyne screamed. “Faster! FASTER!”

“YES SIR, UNDYNE!” Papyrus shouted back. He stirred the noodles fast and hard as he could. He was going to be the best royal guard ever! His eyes followed Undyne as she went to punch the tomatoes. He wasn't entirely sure how this would help him become a royal guard, but if Undyne said it would then he wasn't about to doubt her. He turned his attention back to the pot, watching as the noodles swirled in the violent whirlpool he was creating. As he watched his thoughts drifted, his stirring gradually slowing as his focus fled to these new thoughts.

This, of course, didn't go unnoticed by Undyne.

“Papyrus!” She shouted, yanking him from his thoughts with a startled jolt. “You're slacking on your stirring!”

“Sorry, Undyne!” He yelled back. He quickened his stirring, trying to be aggressive but Undyne could see his heart wasn't in it. Being unfocused while training was very unlike Papyrus. She hesitated a moment before gently resting a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, why don't we take a break and have a glass of milk?” She asked.

Papyrus paused for a moment before giving a small nod. “Yeah, okay.”

Papyrus watched as Undyne took the pot of broken noodles and sat it on the counter. She then got a couple of glasses down from the cabinet. He sat down and rested his gloved hands on the table, twiddling his thumbs in silence. Undyne soon joined him, sliding a glass of milk to rest by his hands.

“Thank you,” Papyrus said, taking the glass.

“No problem,” Undyne responded, taking a sip of the water she had gotten for herself. Now, what's bothering you?”

He looked up in surprise, his ever-present smile turning nervous. “Bothering me? Nothing bothers the great Papyrus!”

Undyne put her glass down. “Lying doesn't suit you.”

Papyrus looked down in shame. He knew he shouldn't lie, especially not to Undyne. Who knows, maybe if he told her she could even help. “It... it's Sans.”

“Did something happen?” She asked with a soft frown.

“I'm not sure,” Papyrus admitted. “I think so? He hasn't been himself lately.”

“How so?”

Papyrus stared at his milk, considering his response for a moment. “I don't think he's happy anymore,” he said, quietly. “He's not telling as many jokes these days. I've had to pick him up from Grillby's a lot lately, and he's hardly ever home. I'm not sure why or what about, but I feel like he's been lying to me. I thought of something to help but I'm starting to think it might not work.”

“What did you think of?” Undyne asked.

“Well, see, I wrote a letter to Santa,” Papyrus said, turning his gaze back up to the fish-like monster, “and I asked him to bring something to make Sans happier. But I just realized I don't remember Santa _ever_ bringing Sans something! What if he doesn't realize that Sans has been good, or what if he's forgotten all about him?!”

The concern in Papyrus' eyes was heartbreaking. Undyne was more than well aware of why “Santa” never brought Sans anything, but she couldn't tell Papyrus. Even if she had it in her heart to tell him Santa wasn't real Sans would never forgive her.

“Well...” she considered her answer carefully, mulling it over in her mind. “What if _you_ got him something instead?”

“I don't think you understand how hard Sans is to shop for,” Papyrus said, tone edged with doubt. “He doesn't really have any interests other than drinking ketchup and sleeping.”

“You kind of have a point there...” Undyne said. “What about a new jacket? His is looking kind of worn out.”

“The last time I touched his jacket he tried to bite me,” Papyrus said with a soft frown. “I highly doubt I could get him to wear a new one without losing a few fingers.”

“There has to be _something_ he's into,” Undyne said, now drumming her fingers on the table in irritation.

“I've lived with him my entire life,” Papyrus said with an exasperated sigh. “Believe me, there isn't.”

The pair sat in silence, wracking their brains for any usable gift ideas. What could you possibly give someone like Sans to make them happy? After a long moment of silence, with absolutely no warning, Undyne screamed and slammed her fist down on the table.

“AAAAHHHRG WHY DOES YOUR BROTHER HAVE TO BE SUCH A LAZY, HARD TO BUY FOR BUM?!”

Papyrus jumped, startled by the outburst. He went to respond but stopped, grinning as an idea formed in his head. “Maybe I, the great Papyrus, should get him a word search! Puzzles make everyone happy!”

“I _hate_ puzzles,” Undyne huffed.

“Yes, but I remember Sans telling me he likes word searches!” Papyrus countered. “So if I give him enough word searches and tell him to be happy then maybe he will!”

There was a moment of silence before Undyne shrugged. “Eh, worth a shot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and critiques are welcome.  
> Happy readings, everyone!


	3. Do You Have Any Word Searches?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this is late guys, between school and being sick I haven't been keeping up on this. I'm not going to discontinue it, but comment to kick my butt for not posting definitely get me working (lookin' at you, TheMlgFoxLord).

Papyrus walked through Hotland towards the MTT Resort. He was sure he could find word searches there, ever since they had remolded to add a gift shop they always had lots of books stocked. He was hoping they wouldn't be too busy, what with monsters out scrambling for last minute gifts. He would have liked to have come the night before after training with Undyne but he didn't want to be late coming home and have Sans notice. That was the one time Sans was sure to be home, waiting for Papyrus to walk through the door and getting unreasonably upset when he was late. When he had become such an advocate for punctuality Papyrus wasn't sure.

Technically he was late getting home right now. His sentry duty was over and normally he'd be one the couch watching a Mettaton program or in the kitchen cooking spaghetti. However, Sans was still at his hot dog stand and wasn't due home for another hour or so. This was especially fortunate because Papyrus had lost his cape on his way to the river person just outside of Snowdin. In his haste the wind had ripped it from his neck and he was unable to catch it before it was blown away. Normally he would have wasted no time going back and looking for it, but Sans' gift took priority. If all went well he would have plenty of time to find it after he got back to Snowdin.

Papyrus strolled through the glass doors and passed the fountain, making his way straight for the shop. Burgerpants was at his usual post, leaning against the counter. A forced, almost painful smile was stretched across his face.

“Welcome to the MTT-Brand Burger Emporium and Gift Shop, home of the Glamburger. Sparkle up your day (TM).”

 “Hello!” Papyrus greeted with his signature grin. “I, the great Papyrus, have come to buy word search puzzles! Would you happen to have any for sale?”

 “Word searches?” Burgerpants thought a moment before shaking his head. “Nope, sold out of word searches. They're in high demand, little buddy. Our most popular give this year.”

 “Your most popular gift?!” Papyrus cried. “Has no one heard of the challenges of the junior jumble?!”

 “Look, buddy, I just work here,” Burgerpants sighed.

“But how am I going to make Sans happy if you're sold out of word searches?!”

Burgerpants paused before answering. “You know none of that made any sense to me, right?”

Papyrus just sighed in response. There went his plan for making his brother happy. What was he supposed to do now? He supposed he could think about that on the way home. He would come up with something, he always did.

Just as he was turning to leave something on the shelf caught his eye. He shifted to get a better look at the item, the cheer slowly creeping back into his smile.

“How much is that one on the edge?” Papyrus asked, gesturing to the item.

“That one?” Burgerpants looked over his shoulder. “It's 700G.”

“I'll take it!” Papyrus said. He fished the money out of his pocket before holding it out. “Wowie, I'm making great time! Sans won't even realize I was late!”

 

 **-xxx-**  

He was late.

Sans fought to swallow his panic as his search of the house revealed no Papyrus. He had closed up the hot dog stand early on a whim, an eerie feeling he had that something wasn't right. His first thought had been to come home and check on Papyrus, but the older skeleton was nowhere in sight.

Okay, so he was late. It was no big deal, people were late all the time.

_But Papyrus isn't._

It was too early for Frisk to show up, it was probably nothing.

_This wouldn't be the first time they had come early._

Where could he be? Where could he have gone other than home?

The path. He had to check the path.

Sans flung the front door open, not even pausing to close it as he raced out of the house. A silent plea ran on a loop through his skull as he stumbled through the snow. _Please not again, please not Papyrus, please not my brother, please_ anyone _but him._

It didn't take him long to reach the edge of Snowdin. A thick fog blanketed the path, obscuring his view. He clutched his jacket close to his body and squinted against the wind, scanning the snow for any trace of his brother. After a moment he spotted a splash of crimson against the white snow. He felt a heavy dread settle in his soul as he made his way over to the scarf, fluttering gently in the wind as if to mock him. With trembling hands he picked it up, eyes welling up with blue tears.

It was Papyrus'.

 **-xxx-**  

Papyrus was starting to worry.

Sans was rarely late coming home, if for no other reason than how badly he needed a nap. Papyrus had been waiting for over an hour for the smaller skeleton to walk through the door, but nobody came. His worry only grew as time ticked by. He tried doing things to keep himself preoccupied: reading, cooking, watching TV, but none of it seemed to help in the slightest. His thoughts always strayed back to Sans. Eventually he gave up and just sat on the couch with his eyes locked on the door, anxiously drumming his fingers against the armrest. His mind raced with possibilities. What if Sans was stuck somewhere? What if he was _hurt_? On top of not being much of a fighter, Sans only had 1HP. If a human somehow found their way to the underground and attacked him he wouldn't stand a chance.

Papyrus jumped as a trombone sounded in his pocket. Despite his worry he couldn't help but give a groan in annoyance. How many times would Papyrus have to tell Sans that changing his ringtone was _not_ funny? Only Sans would find a way to get on his nerves when he wasn't even there. He slipped the small cellphone out of his pocket and held it up to his skull.

“You have called I, the great Papyrus! To whom am I speaking?”

“It's Grillby,” came the familiar voice from the other end. It hissed and crackled, much like the fire he was made from. “You're going to have to come get Sans. Again.”

Papyrus leaped from his seat on the couch. “He's at your bar?!”

“Yeah,” Grillby replied. “I cut him off but I suspect he snuck something in. He passed out a few minutes ago.”

“I'll be right over,” Papyrus said before hanging up the phone.

Luckily the walk to Grillby's wasn't a far one. It was only a moment before Papyrus walked through the door, scanning the room for his brother. He soon spotted him, the smaller skeleton slumped over the par with his hood pulled up. He had apparently found Papyrus' cape and, for some reason he couldn't fathom, was wearing it as a scarf. Papyrus frowned and walked over, stooping to see his face. It was just as Grillby had said. Sockets closed and mouth slightly open to let soft snores adrift. Sans was fast asleep and reeked of alcohol. Papyrus sighed before straightening his posture and looking to Grillby.

“Thank you for calling me, I'll take him home now.”

Grillby just nodded as Papyrus crouched down and maneuvered the sleeping skeleton onto his back. The occupants of the bar watched as he carried him out, expression flooded with concern. Sans had been going to Grillby's more often lately sure, but he never skipped coming home entirely. He was always there to make sure that Papyrus had gotten home safely.

After Sans woke up they would need to have a talk about how he had been acting.

 


	4. Mistakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG. I'm going to try to update every Thursday from now on to just try and get this story finished, this WILL get wrapped up eventually.

Sans woke up to the smell of spaghetti.

No, no that wasn't right. Or was it? Something was terribly wrong, he could feel it, but his groggy mind struggled to recall what it could be. He remembered coming home early from work, he remembered Papyrus wasn't there, he had gone to look for him, and he had found--

Papyrus was dead.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Papyrus had died and he had been too late to save him. Again. How many times had he died now? How many times more would he have to watch it happen? He clutched his pillow between his bony fingers, sockets welling up with tears.

Wait. Pillow?

Sans bolted upright, taking in his surroundings. He was in his room, lying on his bed. How was this possible? He had passed out at Grillby's, he remembered that now. Had there been another reset? His heart leapt at the possibility. If the world had reset that meant Papyrus was alive again. It meant Sans wouldn't have to sit and mourn, terrified by the possibility that a reset would never come, that he had lost his brother forever. He couldn't help but sigh in relief, looking down with a small smile, but then a piece of red cloth caught his eye.

He was still wearing Papyrus' cape.

Papyrus was gone. Nothing had changed.

But then who had carried him home?

While he contemplated this, another, more horrific thought struck him.

**W H O  W A S  C O O K I N G  S P A G H E T T I ?**

 

**-xxx-**

 

Papyrus was cooking spaghetti. What better to compliment a serious talk with his brother than the most serious of pastas? He was sure Sans would appreciate it even if the noodles were a tad burnt. Or, at least, he hoped he would. With his brother's recent behavior it was hard to tell anymore.

Speaking of Sans, the smaller skeleton had been asleep an awfully long time. Normally this wouldn't concern Papyrus, Sans did spend most of his time sleeping after all, but he did seem awfully distressed. When Papyrus had laid him on his mattress he was clutching his cape so tightly he couldn't pry it away, that couldn't be a good sign. Maybe he should go check on him. After turning down the burner to ensure nothing caught fire while he was gone, he made the way up the stairs to Sans' room.

He just hoped everything turned out okay.

 

**-xxx-**

 

Why could nothing just turn out okay?

Sans took a deep breath, attempting to still his shaky hands. He knew he had to figure this out before he started panicking, but that was easier said that done. There had to be a logical explanation for what was happening. It was possible Undyne had seen what had happened over Alphys' cameras, maybe she had carried him home and decided to cook something? No, no there wasn't any yelling, it was much too quiet for it to be Undyne. Who else did he know that could cook spaghetti? No one that he could think of. The only other person Undyne had taught was Frisk. But it couldn't be Frisk, not if they were killing everyone. Unless this was their idea of a sick joke.

Well, he wouldn't exactly put it past them. That kid _was_ pretty twisted.

He hadn't had much time to think about it before he heard muffled footsteps making their way down the hall. He only had a moment to consider what he was going to do. Without hesitation he summoned a Gaster Blaster, his eye emitting a vivid blue glow that illuminated his dark room. They might be able to reset and keep from dying permanently, but that didn't mean he couldn't put up one hell of a fight.

 

**-xxx-**

 

Papyrus was reaching out to turn the door handle but paused when he felt a strong magic crackle through the air. He recognized his brother's essence in an instant, worry seizing his soul. The only time Sans' magic flared up like that was when he was having a nightmare. If his brother was in distress he had to help him. Papyrus turned the knob and pushed the door open.

 

**-xxx-**

 

Sans narrowed his eyes when he heard the presence outside pause, the Gaster Blaster opening its mouth wide and charging up for a powerful beam. When the kid opened that door they were toast.

 

**-xxx-**

 

When the door opened Papyrus was shocked to find that not only was Sans awake, but he looked ready to attack. He was standing by his mattress, his eye glowing a bright cyan and a massive canine skull hovering behind him. The skull's jaws were opened wide, a beam ready to strike swirling in its powerful jaws. Sans had both hands in his pockets, his expression one of pure hatred. However, when his pupils focused on Papyrus his sockets widened.

“Sans?” Papyrus said. “What is this? What's going o--”

“No!” Sans screamed. “No, wait! Papyrus, **M O V E !** ”

However it was too late. There was barely enough time to register the sound of the attack before it hit him and everything went black.

 

**-xxx-**

 

Frisk wasn't the one who opened the door. Instead it was Papyrus, innocent and so very confused.

“Sans?” Papyrus said, eyes darting between Sans and the blaster. “What's going o--”

Sans' sockets widened when he heard the telltale shriek of the Gaster Blaster.

“No!” He screamed, turning to the blaster. He couldn't stop it. Once an attack was started he no longer had control. He couldn't just stop like Papyrus could. It had never really mattered before, so he hadn't bothered to learn how but now, with his brother standing before him, it was his greatest regret. “Papyrus, **M O V E !** ”

However it was too late, his warning came too late. With a boom the beam hit Papyrus square in the chest, shooting him clear through the railing and onto the floor a story below.

“Papyrus!” Sans cried, running over to what was left of the railing and looking over the edge. He was met with the sight of Papyrus' crumpled body on the ground below. “Oh stars, oh please no oh please _please_ no.”

He raced down the steps, taking them two at a time.

He was right before, Papyrus very well might die in this time line. But this time it would be his own brother who killed him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this isn't going well at all is it.


	5. Sans Has Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Guess what guys? This is ending. Today. I am posting every single chapter I have of this and it's gonna be over. It was a good run, special thanks to everyone who stood by this!

Papyrus had never been in so much pain.

Everything hurt, from his skull to his toe bones.  He struggled to remember what happened.  He vaguely recalled going up to check on Sans, thinking he was having a nightmare, finding him awake and...  right.  That's why he was in pain.  Sans had shot him.

He slowly opened his eyes and glanced around, taking in the familiar sight of his bedroom.  Had Sans moved him here?  He had to assume that was the case even though his brother was nowhere to be seen.  It would seem as though the smaller skeleton had also turned out the light before he left so Papyrus could rest.  That was very thoughtful of him.

Papyrus pushed himself up with a hard wince, taking a moment to breathe before standing.  Where had Sans gone?  More importantly, why did Sans shoot him?  There had to be a good reason, his brother would never hurt him without just cause.

At least he could stand.  The blast may have been powerful, but there was a limit to how much damage Sans could do in one blow.  He slowly made his way out of his room, each step hesitant and careful.  When he reached the stairs he could hear the distinct sound of a glass being slammed against the counter top.  Sans' magic still saturated the air, though the feel of it was different this time.  Less angry and afraid and more depressed and guilty.  Whether he had hurt him or not, Papyrus _never_ wanted his brother to feel that way.  He carefully shuffled down the stairs, bracing himself on the banister so he wouldn't fall.  He was about to start towards the kitchen when a thought occurred to him.  Sneaking up on Sans was what had gotten him into this situation, he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.

“Sans?”  He called, voice timid and unsure.  He was met with silence.  “Sans, are you in there?”  When he was met with more silence he anxiously shuffled from foot to foot.  “Sans?  Are you okay?  Please answer me...”

He listened intently and, after moment, he picked up the sound of Sans' stool being pushed across the tile floor before he heard quiet shuffling.  A moment later Sans peeked out from behind the kitchen doorway, never-fading smile tired and dark circles under his sockets.  He was still clutching Papyrus' cape.

“Oh, hey, you're up,” he mumbled.  His stance wavered slightly and Papyrus caught the faint smell of alcohol.

“Sans, what happened?”  Papyrus asked, bracing himself against the wall for support.  He could feel his legs shaking and he wasn't entirely sure they wouldn't give out at any moment.  “Why did you shoot at me?”

Sans' pupils blacked out for a fraction of a fraction of a second, but it was long enough for Papyrus to catch it.  His brother's eyes only did that when he was in extreme emotional distress, seeing it broke Papyrus' heart.

“It's...” Sans sighed, “it's a long story, Paps.  Basically I, I thought you were someone else.”

“Who could I be that you would want to hurt like that?”  Papyrus asked, tone laced with concern.

Sans turned his gaze downward, grip on Papyrus' cape tightening ever so slightly.  “I... I thought someone had killed you, Papyrus.”

Papyrus' sockets widened.  “Killed me?  What in the underground would make you think that?”

Sans rubbed his bony hands over his face.  “The, just the scarf and the kid and I just, I thought... I don't _know_.”

Papyrus' soul dropped.  His brother looked so _tired_.  His bones were an ashen gray instead of their natural milky white and his posture was even more slumped than usual.  He looked as if he just fought a war and lost.  With how reluctant he was to give an answer, Papyrus had to wonder.

Sans looked back up, guilt and regret etched into his features.  “Stars, Papyrus, I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you, I'm so sorry.”

Papyrus' expression softened before he inched over to his brother and pulled him into a tight hug.  He felt Sans tense but he didn't dare let go.  He knew his brother and he knew he needed this.

“Sans, it's okay,” he said, voice uncharacteristically soft and gentle.  “it's okay, it wasn't your fault and you don't have to explain anything right now.  I can wait until you're more comfortable and then we can work it out together, okay?”

Sans hesitated before speaking.  “Yeah, okay Paps, that sounds good.”

“Good.”  Papyrus gave a soft, encouraging smile.  “Tomorrow is Christmas, isn't it?  We should rest so we can celebrate.”

Papyrus felt Sans shift a bit in his arms.  No doubt he was thinking things over.  It was a long moment before Sans gave a small, slow nod.  Papyrus smiles before letting go.  “Nyeh, I would offer to carry you, but I'm not sure I can right now.”

Sans' permanent grin turned apologetic.  “Heh, can't say I blame you, I'm kinda surprised you can stand.”

“Nothing can keep The Great Papyrus down!” he boasted, puffing his chest in pride before wincing and returning to his slightly hunched stance.  The wince didn't go unnoticed, Sans gave a soft flinch in sympathy.

“Heh, guess it can't,” Sans mused.  “Come on, let's go to bed.  I bet you'll have lots of presents from Santa in the morning.”

Papyrus felt a swell of excitement at the mention of Santa.  Not because he couldn't wait for his own gifts, but because of what he had planned for his brother.  “You're absolutely right, Sans!  Santa can't come if we're awake!”

“You know it,” Sans said with a tired grin.  “Gimme your arm, I'll help you up to bed.”

Papyrus slung his arm over Sans' shoulder and, despite his size, the smaller skeleton supported his younger brother with surprising ease.  As Sans lead him up the stairs, one thought stuck in Papyrus' mind.

Tomorrow would be better.


	6. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know it's short, but here's the final chapter. I had a lot of fun with this story, and I'm so glad I actually finished it (even though it took two years).

No amount of pain could ever keep The Great Papyrus down on Christmas morning.  Even though Sans knew this, he was still unprepared for the loud banging on his door.  He awoke with a jolt, momentarily forgetting about the previous night’s events and pulling his pillow over his face with a groan.

“It’s too early, Papyrus, five more minutes,” he grumbled.

“No, you lazy bones, it’s time to get up!”  Despite his words, there was no missing the fondness in his voice.  “You can’t sleep through Christmas morning, we have gifts to open!”

Christmas morning?  Wait, that was right, it _was_  Christmas morning.  The events from the night before came flooding back.  The fear, the anxiety, the attack, the guilt, and the alcohol he had guzzled in an attempt to drown it all out.

“Sans!  You better not have gone back to sleep!”

“Nah, I’m up.”  Sans took a deep breath before forcing his smile just a little wider and getting out of bed.  He could do this.  For Papyrus, he could do anything.  With this in mind he made his way over to the door and opened it, casually leaning against the door frame. “Hey there, cool guy.”

Papyrus looked less than amused.  “Sans, this is no time for flattery!  There are gifts to open!”

“Heh, yeah, I bet Santa left you a ton of presents,” Sans said, following Papyrus when he took to the stairs.  Though Papyrus was moving slower than usual due to the pain he was no doubt still in, his enthusiasm was still made clear with the slight bounce in his steps.  Sans’ smile grew soft at the sight.

“Don’t forget about your presents, Sans,” papyrus said.  “Aren’t you excited to see what Santa got you?”

With that, Sans’ permanent smile soured just a little.  Of course he should have known Papyrus wouldn’t notice “Santa” didn’t bring Sans gifts.  Why should he?  However, that didn’t keep it from making his soul ache.  Even if Santa did exist, Sans was more than certain he would never be good enough to get more than a lump of coal.  Not after everything he’d done.  Still, there was no need to burden Papyrus with all of that.  He forced his smile a little wider, crinkling the corners of his eye sockets.  “Yeah, sure thing, Paps.”

Luckily for Sans, Papyrus didn’t seem to notice the change in his smile.  Instead, he took off towards the Christmas tree the second he feet hit the bottom of the stairs.  Sans couldn’t help but chuckle at his excitement.  Man, his brother was the best.  Papyrus took his place by the tree before looking up at Sans and bounding his leg impatiently.

“Come on, lazy bones!  I can’t open presents if you don’t hurry up!”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.”  Sans shuffled down the stairs before taking his place across from Papyrus.  “Alright, go ahead.”

Papyrus didn’t even give a second’s hesitation before tearing into his gifts, grin stretching wide when he saw what was inside.  “Wowie, new action figures!  Just what I asked for!”

“If anyone deserves it, it’s you,” Sans said.  He watched as Papyrus picked up another present, blue paper with a carefully tied red bow, and his brow furrowed in confusion.  Weird, he didn’t remember wrapping that one.  Papyrus read the attached tag before holding it out.  “It says this one is for you!”

Sans’ sockets widened.  For him?  That couldn’t be right.  He took the gift and read the tag, and he couldn’t help the way his smile softened.  The tag definitely had his name on it and, though it said “ _FROM: SANTA_ ” in clear, bold letters, Papyrus’ scrawl was unmistakable.  “Huh, it sure is.”

He set it on the ground and untied the bow before tearing into the paper.  He then hesitated a moment, finger bones hovering over the flaps of the box before opening them and peering inside.  He sat there a moment, staring at the contents without reacting.  However, he didn’t miss Papyrus’ uncomfortable shift as he tried his hardest not to react to Sans’ silence.

“Is… is everything alright, brother?”

Sans was silent for a moment longer before he looked up at Papyrus with a genuine smile.  “Yeah, all good.  Santa sure knows what a guy wants.”

Papyrus immediately perked up at that.  “Really?  You really like it?”  His eye sockets widened when he realized how painfully obvious he was being and he quickly looked away.  “Not that I even know what it is!  I assume it’s more ketchup to fuel your bad habits.”

Sans chuckled, deciding to just play along.  “Nah, even better.”  He reached into the box and pulled out a small, soft stuffed dog.  Its fur was patches of black and white, arranged to look like a skeleton.  A soft, light blue jacket rested over its shoulders and front legs, and Sans couldn’t deny that there was a resemblance.

“Wowie, Sans, it looks just like you!” Papyrus shouted, doing his best to feign surprise.

“Yeah, it does, doesn’t it,” Sans chuckled.  He turned to Papyrus, shooting him a wink.  “Guess I’ll have to tell ‘Santa’ thank you.”

“I’m sure he’d appreciate a thank you letter,” Papyrus said with an affirming nod, completely missing the meaning behind Sans’ gesture.  Sans just chuckled before setting the dog back in the box.  He would set it in his room later, up on a shelf so it wouldn’t get caught up in the mess of his room.

“Yeah, I’ll make sure to write him one.”  Sans stood, extending a hand to Papyrus.  “Come on, let’s go get some breakfast.”

“Breakfast spaghetti _does_ sound good,” Papyrus agreed, taking Sans’ hand and letting the older skeleton help him to his feet.  He immediately headed for the kitchen with Sans trailing behind him.  They could clean up the wrapping paper later.

As he sat at the kitchen table and watched Papyrus rummage though the cabinet for a pot, Sans’ thoughts strayed back to the present he had gotten.  Though stuffed animals weren’t normally his thing, Papyrus had clearly put a lot of thought into it and that’s what made it special.  He couldn’t help but smile to himself as he watched Papyrus turn the burner up way too high before pouring the noodles into the water.  Papyrus really was the best brother a skeleton could ask for.  He always seemed to know just what Sans needed.

With such a cool brother like Papyrus by his side, he could endure these resets just a little longer.

With such a cool brother like Papyrus, he could do anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's a wrap! As a bonus, I've added an extra chapter! Go to Chapter 7 to check it out!


	7. Chapter X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh look at this, bonus content! This is a chapter that is meant to take place after chapter 4, so right after Sans shoots Papyrus. I sent it out on April 1st as an April Fools joke to my beta readers. I haven't done a word count but this is probably the longest of all the chapters, I put waaaaaay too much effort into it. So, to recap, this is NOT actually part of the story, this chapter is strictly a joke. Honestly I'm a joke for writing it.

He had tried everything.  He had tried everything and it still wasn't good enough.

Sans stared down at the jar of dust, his sockets black and empty.  How could this have happened?  How could he have _let_ this happen?  He had killed his little brother.  Even if fate smiled upon him just this once and the world reset, how would he ever live with himself?  He was a dirty brother killer now.  Things couldn't go back, not after this.  To make things worse there was still the matter of spreading his dust.  With how many times Papyrus had died this was far from Sans' first time performing the task.  That being said, Papyrus had never died like _this_ before, killed by the one person he loved most.

Sans paused, considering that for a moment.  The one person Papyrus loved most.  He had always spread his brother's dust on his prized possessions but, although it wasn't an uncommon practice among monsters, he had never considered spreading Papyrus' dust on a living being.

He let out a soft sigh, running a hand over his skull before giving a sad smile.  “Heh, first time for everything I guess.”

Next he had to consider where he would do it.  Of course Snowdin was their home, but Papyrus had always been fond of Waterfall.  There was a particular little nook off of the glowing path that he liked, filled with echo flowers and soft grass.  Maybe that's where he should go.  So few people knew about it that it was unlikely Papyrus would be disturbed there.  At least, not before the world had a chance to reset.  No doubt Frisk would reset it the second they found out Papyrus was already dead.  If they didn't then Sans would either beg or, if that didn't work, kill them over and over until they had no choice.  Either way he was going to get his brother back but, for now, he was going to give him a proper send off.

He pushed himself up with a grunt before brushing the snow off his shorts.  Truth be told he lacked the motivation to walk all the way to Waterfall.  Even if he didn't feel that way he didn't want to risk someone following him in and disturbing Papyrus' final resting place.  Luckily for him he knew a shortcut.

The pupils disappeared from his sockets and there was the brief sensation of being sucked into a vacuum.  The world went black for a moment and, when the light came back, he was standing in the secret cavern.  With glowing mushrooms and crystals peppering the ceiling and the floor being carpeted by echos flowers and soft, navy grass it was no wonder why Papyrus had been fond of the secret room.  It was breathtaking.  Sans shuffled through the flowers, listening to their soft whispers.  His breath hitched and tears gathered in the corners of his sockets when he found that the majority were the remnants of his beloved brother.

“Nyeh!  No human today, but they'll come soon!  I can feel it in my _bones_ , nyeh heh!”

“Sans still won't pick up his sock!  What is an amazing, handsome, charismatic skeleton to do?”

“Training with Undyne was great today!  Though I have begun to question the necessity of burning down the kitchen...”

“Mettaton came out with a new show today!  Nyeh!  I'm so excited!”

“Sans may be a lazy bones, but I still love him very much...”

“hOI!  im tem!  ur boOtyful!”

“I'll be a royal guardsman soon, I just know it!”

Sans stopped, furrowing his brow.  He took a few steps back, lowering his skull to one of the flowers.

“hOI!  im tem!  ur boOtyful!

He sighed and shook his head before starting forward again.  “Damn Temmies, I swear they're everywhere.” 

Sans stopped when he reached the center of the room and knelt down in the grass.  He took one last look around the room, took a deep breath, and opened the jar.

“I love you, Papyrus.”

Sans closed his sockets and poured the jar of dust over his skull.  He held his breath and waited for most of it to slide from his bones and settle on the grass beneath him.  When he felt that the majority of it had sifted into a comfortable rest, he let out a puff of air through his teeth and nose to clear the dust from his face.  It may have been customary to leave the dust on you for a couple of days, but it was also taboo to breathe it in.  Not that that was a problem, he didn't mind watching the dust scatter before resting on the petals of the echo flowers.  That's where it really belonged, not on a dirty brother killer.  Then again papyrus would probably disagree, and his wishes were what really mattered.

Sans stood, rolling his shoulders and letting any excess dust drift to the ground.  Now all there was left to do was go home, mourn, and wait for this to all be over.

 

**-xxx-**

“tem cav iz thiz wai!  iz secroit!  hoory up!”

Temmie bounded towards the cave, shivering in excitement.  Beautiful flowers!  Pretty crystals!  Glowey mushrooms!  Cushy grass!  It was the best cave!  Temmie could find Temmie Flakes in the Tem cave!  Then Temmie could sell Temmie Flakes and go to Tem college like Temmie in the Tem Shop and get an education!  Temmie had the best plan!

“temmie dun wunna run no moar, temmie toired!”  Temmie whined, ears drooping.  Temmie had been chasing Temmie all day, Temmie has so much energy how is Temmie supposed to keep up?

“tem almoost theere!  iz thru heer!!”  Temmie slipped through a big crack in the rocks that looks like it's not there in the dark??

“WOA!!  temmie not see cav?!?!”  Temmie rushed in after Temmie to see the amazing Tem cave.

When Temmie got inside of the Tem cave Temmie gasped.  “iz boOtyful!!!1!1”

“tem kno!!  tem haz net 2 get teh temmie flakes!  Tem wil haz muns 4 colleg!” Temmie squealed.  “AND tem haz boOtyful floowrs!  floowrs smel prity!”

Temmie leaned in and smelled the flowers!  Temmie got weird dust on Temmie's nose and sneezed!

“aaAachuu!!!”  Temmie bounced a bit with the sneeze before scrunching up its nose.  “tis floowr smelz funnie!”

“temmie wunna smel!”  Temmie leaned in to smell it but Temmie stopped them!

“nO!  temmie cant smel, tem soid so!”  Temmie shoved Temmie away from the flower!

“foine!”  Temmie huffed.  “dun wunna smel floowr anywai!  tem floowr STOOPID!”

“tem--”  Temmie stopped, a shudder running through their body.  Their front legs collapsed, letting their cheek rest on the floor.  “tem dun feel so gud...”

 “iz tem okai?”  Temmie asked in concern, crouching next to them.

“tem...”  Temmie let out a dramatic cough.  “tem _dyin_...  tem need...  tem need tem dooctr...”

“tem NO DIE!”  Temmie cried, leaping up.  “tem wait heer, temmie get tem dooctr!”

Temmie bounded off, leaving Temmie alone in the hidden cave.  The cave was no longer the best cave, not if it made Temmie sick.  Temmie gave a soft whine, burying its face in the cushy grass.  Temmie felt sick.  Temmie's soul hurt.  Temmie wanted spaghetti?  Temmie wanted to do puzzles??  Temmie didn't feel like Temmie anymore??!

No, Temmie didn't feel like Temmie anymore.  Temmie felt like...

The Great Tempyrus.

 

**-xxx-**

Sans sat curled on Papyrus' bed, staring at the wall with black, empty sockets.  Papyrus' scarlet cape was clutched between his fingers, covered in a light layer of dust.  He wasn't really planning on leaving this spot until the kid came through.  Why would he?  There was nothing to wait for anymore.  He didn't even have anyone to fight this time, not unless he wanted to kill himself.  Then again, if he didn't need to stay to beg Frisk to reset he probably would.

A loud crash from the downstairs tore him away from his thoughts.  He jolted in surprise before going absolutely still, listening to the sound of broken glass crunching under someone's shoes.  With how many times their windows had been broken he was more than familiar with the sound by now.  Normally he would just shrug it off and have it fixed later, but someone had to have open hell of a nerve to break in while he was grieving.  Sans took a deep breath before pushing himself up.  Whoever was down there was gonna have a bad time.

He shuffled out of the room, keeping a tight grip on his brother's cape.  Whoever had broken in was now banging around with the pots and pans.  That wasn't something any of the dogs normally did and Undyne wouldn't dare to even consider breaking in right after Papyrus' death.  If he weren't dust Sans would bet it was Papyrus himself.  The taller skeleton would always break through the window when he was locked out.

Sans stopped at the kitchen doorway, sockets narrowing.  Oh _hell_ no.  There, making a mess in this brother's kitchen, was a Temmie.  It was currently trying to put a pot filled with water on the stove, but it wasn't nearly tall enough.  It could hardly even pick up the pot with its small, bony paws.

Wait, bony?  That couldn't be right.  Sans inched closer for a better look.  Instead of milky white fur, the Temmie had pale bones and was wearing what looked like a Battle Body.  Sans felt unease twist in his gut.  Absolutely none of this seemed right.

The Temmie twisted around.  A creepy, permanent grin was stretched across its skull.

“Sans!” It cried.  “Sans!  halp meh get teh pot on teh stoove!  NYEH!”

Sans went still, staring at the creature before him.  This, this _thing_ , why was it dressed like him brother?  Why did it _sound_ like his brother?  How dare it imitate The Great Papyrus?  The pupils disappeared from his sockets and his voice dropped an octave.

“Look, _pal_ , I don't know who you are, but if you don't--”

“dun be silly, Sans!”  The Temmie shouted.  “i iz the GRATE TEMPYRUS!  ur luvable tem bruther!”

“My brother is _dead_ ,” Sand growled, his left eye glowing a bright cyan, “and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let anyone pretend to be him!”

The Temmie's sockets widened in terror.  “NO!  Sans, dun hit meh again!”

Sans stopped, hesitating a moment before speaking.  “What did you just say?”

Bright orange tears pooled in the corners of Tempyrus' sockets, its small frame trembling.  “i dun wunna be dust again!  NYEH!  dun hurt meh!”

Sans stood frozen, staring at the supposed Tempyrus in shock.  “How do you know about that?”

“Sans, it's ME!”  Tempyrus cried.  “im not ded!”

What Tempyrus was saying wasn't even remotely possible.  Part of his wanted to work everything out and part of him wanted to just curl up and pray that all of this was a really bad, really confusing dream.

However, before he even had time to react, the Annoying Dog leapt through the already broken window and skidded across the floor, eyes glinting with a serious light.  Tempyrus barely had the chance to squeal in surprise before the dog opened it's jaws wide and took in the entire of the abomination, swallowing it in one massive gulp.  The dog cleared its throat before trotting over to Sans.

“Man that was one hell of a meal, I'm stuffed,” it muttered to itself.  It then perked up and spoke in a deep, rich voice.  “The threat to the multiverse has been neutralized.  No need to thank me, it is my job as your god after all.  Just go about your business, citizen.”  With that it gave a high pitched bark, wagged its stubby tail, and hurled itself back out the window.

Sans watched dumbfounded for a moment before shaking his head and muttering to himself, “I really have to ask Grillby what's in those damn drinks...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhhh boy. The whole Temmie point of the chapter was just one big red squiggly line, let me tell you. Reminder, one more time, this has nothing to do with the actual story, it was purely an April Fools joke. From April 2016. Thanks to everyone for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and critiques are welcome.  
> Happy readings, everyone!


End file.
